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Orlando City

Orlando City vs. Montreal Impact, Round 3: Player Grades and Man of the Match

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9 years ago

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Orlando City has won four straight and kept its faint playoff hopes alive for another week with a 2-1 victory over the Montreal Impact in front of more than 35,000 fans at the Citrus Bowl. The unlikely hero was Seb Hines, who scored the game winner with less than ten minutes left in regulation.

Things started off with a scary midair collision between starting defenders Tommy Redding and Rafael Ramos. Both were stretchered off and Ramos went to the hospital to deal with a severe laceration on his face after a clash of heads left both players woozy.

So Adrian Heath was forced to make two substitutions very early on and despite that, a goal against that shouldn’t have counted, and the appearance of Didier Drogba, the Lions prevailed.

Here are my player grades from Orlando City’s fourth consecutive victory and first over a Canadian team this season:

Starters

GK, Tally Hall, 7 – Hall only faced two shots on goal but he was alert to the danger all night, coming out early to keep a ball away from Ambroise Oyongo from becoming a problem, stopping a shot from Johan Venegas late in the game, and catching or punching several crosses away from the danger area as the Impact pushed for a late equalizer. Stopped a dangerous ball in the 43rd minute, only to see Dominic Oduro kick it out of his grasp and in for a goal, which is kind of against the rules, but whatevs.

D, Brek Shea, 8 – Shea was excellent, starting on the left side and shifting over to the right after the injuries sidelined Ramos and Redding. Despite being on his weaker side, Shea caused problems down the right side all evening and mostly took care of his defensive responsibilities. Nearly had goal of the week in the 51st minute but smashed a curling effort off the crossbar from distance.

D, Tommy Redding, N/A – An unfortunate early exit for the young Homegrown Player. Officially left in the 11th minute but was down much earlier than that, getting treatment on the pitch for a long time. Not really enough minutes to make an impact.

D, Aurelien Collin, 8 – The Frenchman cleared everything he got his feet on and played an excellent match. Kept Drogba in check once the Ivorian checked in and was strong in the air. He also moved the ball well all night and helped Orlando keep possession for long spells, particularly in the first half and early in the second half.

D, Rafael Ramos, N/A – Like Redding, his night ended much too soon. Hopefully there are no long-term effects, as the club has two weeks to prepare for New York City FC, and will be without both Brek Shea and Kaká, due to yellow card accumulation.

MF, Servando Carrasco, 8 – Fantastic game for the defensive midfielder. Carrasco broke up plays all over the pitch, filling in for the suspended Cristian Higuita. Higuita’s absence wasn’t even noticeable, which is a huge credit to Servando. Registered four tackles, four interceptions and a clearance, completing 85% of his passes, and helped the backline keep Montreal’s attack in check, along with…

MF, Darwin Ceren, 8 – The Salvadoran was all over the pitch just like his counterpart in the defensive midfield, with six interceptions and three tackles. Narrowly missed a goal in the 27th minute with a rocket from distance. Chipped in a couple of key passes, two crosses and several accurate long balls to go with a team-high 65 passes (completing 84.6%). Another outstanding job by Ceren.

MF, Carlos Rivas, 6 – The Colombian continues to delight with his speed and crossing and utterly disappoint with his shots. None of his four shots were on target but he had a team-high eight crosses and continually bothered the Montreal defense with his pace down whichever wing he was on, drawing several fouls.

MF, Kaká, 7 – The captain seemed just a tad off with his touch at times but was still able to show his quality often. Sent in Carlos Rivas late for what should have been an insurance goal. Only one key pass, no shots and a couple of uncharacteristically heavy touches near the end line, but he was dangerous on crosses, serving five into the box. Did a solid job defensively of staying active and applying pressure.

MF, Lewis Neal, 5.5 – Badly scuffed a shot in the box off a Shea pass in the 13th minute in another underwhelming offensive effort. It was his only shot of the night and he had one key pass. He did manage to complete 91.4% of his passes but made only 35 of them. The Lions seemed to actively avoid his side of the pitch when he swapped spots with Carlos Rivas in the second half, sending the Colombian to the right wing.

F, Cyle Larin, 6.5 – The Canadian was just a touch off much of the night but he did score a goal off a bad Montreal giveaway in the 33rd minute and his presence up top was clearly a concern for the Impact defense. Drew only one foul and he seemed to tire midway through the second half.

Substitutes

D, Luke Boden (11′), 6.5 – A bit of a mixed bag for Luke tonight, with several crucial challenges but also turned the ball over leading to Montreal’s goal and got beat a few times late, allowing the Impact to get some dangerous crosses into the box in search of their equalizer. A workmanlike effort and did well to get the ball back into the box on what eventually became Seb Hines’ game-winning goal.

D, Seb Hines (11′), 8 (MOTM) – Seb returned from a dislocated shoulder suffered last week and made it pay off. He and Collin really owned the defensive third. Hines finished with four interceptions, two tackles, a clearance and a blocked shot, to go along with his 80th-minute winning goal. Completed nearly 85% of his passes and was calm on the ball and with the ball pinging around in the box.

F, Bryan Rochez (69′), 5.5 – Replaced Lewis Neal in the 69th minute and wasn’t terribly involved, seeing his three-game goal-scoring streak come to an end. Rochez was good in holdup play but didn’t complete (or attempt) many passes. Did manage a shot on target and played well defensively, heading away a clearance in the late stages.

Those are my player ratings. Vote below for your Orlando City Man of the Match.

Polling Closed

Player Votes
Brek Shea 62
Aurelien Collin 43
Seb Hines 95
Servando Carrasco 25
Darwin Ceren 28
Other (let us know who in the comments section below) 2
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Orlando City

Orlando City Forward Jack Lynn Announces His Retirement

Orlando City forward Jack Lynn retires from professional soccer.

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2 hours ago

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January 18, 2025

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image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Orlando City announced this morning that forward Jack Lynn has retired from professional soccer to explore opportunities outside of the game. The striker was the Lions’ first-round pick in the 2022 MLS SuperDraft.

“Jack is a player who always gave 100 percent for us here in Orlando both in training and every game that he played,” Orlando City Executive Vice President of Soccer Operations and General Manager Luiz Muzzi said in a club press release. “He is someone who was always a positive to have as a part of the group and was ready to do whatever was asked of him for the team. We want to thank Jack for these last three years of hard work and professionalism and wish him nothing but the best in this next step of his life.”

The 25-year-old was selected with the 18th overall pick out of Notre Dame and the Lions signed him to a one-year deal on Feb. 16, 2022, with club options for 2023, 2024, and 2025. Orlando City exercised its option on Lynn following the 2022, 2023, and 2024 seasons, so he was set to enter his final option year in 2025.

Lynn quickly became a regular starter for Orlando City B, playing 53 games with 45 starts and recording 3,950 minutes. He scored a team-record 38 goals and added five assists over three seasons with the second team.

After scoring 15 goals for OCB during his rookie season, Lynn won the Golden Boot with 19 goals in 2023. His play that season earned him the title of MLS NEXT Pro MVP, making him the first OCB player to win the award.

The third-year forward saw his role with the first team increase significantly in 2024. He only made seven total first-team appearances in his first two seasons, but appeared 14 times in 2024 with his only two starts. In his three seasons in Orlando, Lynn played in 22 games with two starts and recorded 326 minutes. He scored twice, with both goals coming in MLS action.

Prior to joining the Lions, Lynn was a standout forward at Notre Dame, playing 79 times with 57 starts while scoring 31 goals and adding eight assists. He scored 10 goals with four assists during his senior year, helping the Fighting Irish win the ACC Championship before losing to eventual champion Clemson in the NCAA College Cup semifinal. He was a three-time All-ACC selection and All-Region selection during his collegiate career.

What This Means for Orlando City

Lynn played sparingly during his professional career but saw his role increase last season. An injury and subsequent surgery for Duncan McGuire meant he was likely to see even more time in 2025 had he continued playing. However, he would’ve been the third or fourth choice on the roster.

The retirement means the Lions will likely be on the lookout for another striker as they attempt to add some depth to the position. Ramiro Enrique will be the starter as the season begins and Luis Muriel can play up top if needed, but there was already a need for depth up top. That need is even more urgent with Lynn’s departure.

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Orlando City

Orlando City Signs Colombian Winger Nicolas Rodriguez

The Lions add a skilled young winger ahead of the 2025 season.

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23 hours ago

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January 17, 2025

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,
Dan MacDonald, The Mane Land

Orlando City has announced the previously reported signing of Colombian forward Nicolas Rodriguez from Fortaleza CEIF through 2027 with a club option for 2028. Rodriguez, 20, will occupy an MLS U22 Initiative slot.

“We’re very excited to have Nico join us here in Orlando. With the characteristics he has as a player, he’s someone that we feel really fits our model and culture at the club,” Orlando City Executive Vice President of Soccer Operations and General Manager Luiz Muzzi in a club press release. “Nico has a skilled left foot that makes him a challenge to defend, likes to take defenders on one-on-one, and has a promising future. We’re excited for all he’ll achieve here during his time in purple.”

Rodriguez made 19 appearances (all starts) in the 2024 Primera A Clausura season with Fortaleza, compiling 1,607 minutes, scoring five goals, and adding three assists.

“It’s an honor and a point of pride to be able to wear this kit, to be able to represent this badge, and it’s very important to me and to my family,” Rodríguez said in the club’s press release. “I’m excited about this next step along my journey.”

The San Jose del Guaviare, Colombia native joined Fortaleza’s youth team in 2021, making his debut in the Categoria Primera B against Boyaca Chico. After rarely appearing in his first two years, the 5-foot-8 winger became a regular starter in 2023, appearing in 44 matches and scoring eight times, helping the club earn promotion to Primera A. He played in 42 games in all competitions for Fortaleza in 2024, scoring eight goals.

What It Means for Orlando City

The Lions get a talented, young offensive-minded player who can help the club while developing. If things go well, Orlando City will be able to move him in the future for a great deal more than what the club is investing in him now, which is good business, but not at the expense of the team on the field. Rodriguez isn’t a like-for-like replacement for Facundo Torres — at least not yet — but he doesn’t have to be. The Lions could play Martin Ojeda or Luis Muriel opposite Ivan Angulo, allowing Rodriguez time to develop with minutes off the bench and spot starts during heavy fixture congestion. And, with an open Designated Player slot, there may still be a forward or winger brought in before the 2025 season starts.

In addition to playing right wing, Rodriguez can also play the right side in a three-man midfield and even the No. 10 spot. In Oscar Pareja’s system, he would likely project as the right attacking midfielder in the 4-2-3-1.

Rodriguez will occupy an international and U22 Initiative slot for the Lions. He’s a player with a lot of upside and with the financial investment of the transfer fee, coupled with the reports that Fortaleza will retain as much as 30% of a future sale, the club must feel good about his future. Fans should as well after seeing the video below, which shows Rodriguez has plenty of confidence and finishing ability, even from outside the box.

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Opinion

Likes and Dislikes from the First Week of Orlando City’s Preseason

Here are a few things that stood out from the first week of preseason — some good and some bad.

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1 day ago

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January 17, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

The 2024 Major League Soccer season has barely had time to breathe, but Orlando City opened preseason training on Monday. If it feels like time has flown by, that’s because it has. Hell, we’ve already got a whole working week’s-worth of practices in, and things are only going to pick up from here. With that being the case, I wanted to stop and reflect on a couple things that I liked, and a couple things that I disliked from the first week of the Lions’ preseason.

Likes

The Boys Are Back in Town

First and foremost, it’s good to be back in soccer mode. Its always nice to reflect on fond memories from the most recent season — particularly when its a successful one like the Lions just had, but reminiscing only takes you so far. But now we’re getting daily looks at OCSC’s preseason work and are able to check in with the familiar faces we know and love while also getting to know a few new ones. Videos like this one are always nice and help build excitement for the games to come.

Games Just Around the Corner

Speaking of games, we aren’t too far from Orlando’s first game of 2025. The Lions will play a preseason match a little over a week from today on Jan. 25, when they take on Atletico Mineiro at home in the FC Series. It may be only a preseason game but it still provides us with our first glimpse of what Orlando City will look like during the 2025 season. We’ll presumably get to see some of the team’s draft picks in action and should get some clues as to how the positional pecking order is starting to shape up.

Dislikes

The Wait for Reinforcements

It isn’t out of the norm for Orlando City to take its time making off-season signings when compared to its fellow MLS teams, and that’s been the case once again this year. Granted, there are plenty of teams that have more spots to fill than the Lions and some teams are in the midst of outright rebuilds. Still, OCSC has several spots that are in need of strengthening, depth, or both, not to mention a Facundo Torres-sized hole out on the right wing. There’s absolutely work to be done, and while I’m all for taking the time to make sure you sign the right players, there’s also something to be said for giving those players as much time in preseason as possible to adapt to their new teammates and unfamiliar surroundings. Here’s hoping that some moves start getting made soon.

The Departure of Mason Stajduhar

I won’t lie to you guys, when the news came through on Wednesday afternoon that the Lions had traded Mason Stajduhar to Real Salt Lake for General Allocation Money and a draft pick, it was a tough blow and one that I’m still having trouble coming to terms with. Professional soccer is a business, and I understand that, but it’s tough to see a guy like Mason head out the door. The team’s fourth Homegrown Player had been around since 2015 and beat cancer, made his MLS debut, got his first MLS wins and shutouts, helped OCSC hoist the club’s first silverware as an MLS team, and got engaged and then married — all while wearing Orlando purple. As our editor Michael Citro put it, we watched him grow up from a teenager into a young man, and it’ll always be tough to watch someone leave who has been around for 10 years and has been a consummate professional for each one of them. I’ll miss him but wish him all the best.

What did you guys make of the first week of the 2025 preseason? Are there any things that you’re keeping a particularly close eye on as we begin building towards the match against Atletico Mineiro? Be sure to have your say down in the comments, and I’ll see you next week. Vamos Orlando!

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